YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY was one of the songs from the 1976 release from rock superstars, QUEEN. It comes from their album A Day at the Races. This was the second consecutive release from QUEEN that took its name from a Marx Bros movie title. The first was A Night at the Opera.
One thing I know is that if I had tried to spend more than a few minutes on a stairmaster a few months ago - It would have taken my breath away. And quickly.
Lately, I have been walking up flights of stairs and I was really eager to find a stairmaster machine in order to test my endurance. During this trip, which found me in 5 different hotels on 5 consecutive nights and working out in 4 different YMCA's in different communities on four consecutive days - I finally found a stairmaster machine in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
It has been nearly a decade since I have stepped onto one of these contraptions. I felt as if I was ready. My initial goal was to log a simulated walk of more flights of stairs than I had accomplished a few weeks ago when I was at the Hilton Hotel in Columbus. Therefore, my first goal was to walk at least 75 'floors.' Once that was accomplished - my goals kept on moving. (In football terminololgy: I kept moving the goalposts back) I imagined that I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would find in the Empire State Building. And I accomplished that. Then I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would have found in the long gone World Trade Center. And I accomplished that. Then I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would find in the world's current tallest building. And I accomplished that. Then I wanted to walk up more 'floors' than one would find in the world's tallest building that is currently under construction. And I came very close to accomplishing that. (Apparently I would have to scale 253 floors to climb up Kingdom Tower from ground level to top.) Then I wanted to continue walking until I had 'burned' at least 500 calories. And I did that. Finally I realized that I was approaching one full hour on the machine and that became my final goal. And I accomplished that too!
I lasted one hour. I walked up 220 'floors' and I burned 607 calories while doing it. When I stepped off the machine, I would be lying if I didn't experience a short moment when my legs were wobbly - It was very much like the sensation one feels when one steps off a boat onto the dock for the first time after spending time on choppy waters. In conclusion it can be said that the machine did TAKE MY BREATH AWAY - but that was after a rather vigorous 60 minute workout!
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220.0 lbs
I weigh 220.0 lbs.
I gained 1.1 lbs this week.
I weigh 220.0 lbs.
I gained 1.1 lbs this week.
I lost 89 lbs in 178 days. Today begins Day 179.
I have lost 14 inches from my waist.
I will always be at the beginning of a journey that never ends.
I weigh 220 lbs. (178 days ago I weighed 309 lbs)
I have lost 28.8% of my weight since Dec 24.
Considering how different my calorie count has been - eating much larger portions of still mostly nutritious foods - I am satisfied. I must consider cutting back just a bit to continue to lose weight.
I have a BMI, body mass index of 29.43 (far away from obesity!)
I had a 42.0 BMI on 12.24.14 just 178 days ago (Class III obesity)
I have six words to describe how I feel right now - (time to get) BACK TO BASICS
...I know how to begin this week... I think it might be time to visit my 'hometown' YMCA. Maybe they have a stairmaster. I would like to continue to challenge myself in step climbing.
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FRIDAY MENU
breakfast Wasabi Green Peas, Serenity mix, okra chips, 2 apples 849 calories
lunch HUGE SPINACH SALAD, GRANOLA, coconut chips 1351 calories
dinner TERIYAKI BEEF JERKY 165 calories
total calories consumed 2365 calories
calories burned
STAIRMASTER ONE HOUR, 220 FLOORS 607 CALORIES
Friday net calories calories 1758 calories
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breakfast Wasabi Green Peas, Serenity mix, okra chips, 2 apples 849 calories
lunch HUGE SPINACH SALAD, GRANOLA, coconut chips 1351 calories
dinner TERIYAKI BEEF JERKY 165 calories
total calories consumed 2365 calories
calories burned
STAIRMASTER ONE HOUR, 220 FLOORS 607 CALORIES
Friday net calories calories 1758 calories
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| EMPIRE STATE BUILDING (NEW YORK) 1250 FEET TALL, 102 STORIES |
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| WORLD TRADE CENTER (NEW YORK) 1368 FEET TALL, 110 STORIES |
BURJ KHALIFA
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
2718 FEET TALL, 163 STORIES
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| KINGDOM TOWER JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA 3,304 FEET TALL (EXPECTED AT COMPLETION)
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postscript: I don't know if I really should 'worry' about training to climb up the 252 floors Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia even once it is completed in 2018. I really don't think that this is the most hospitable country for Jews to visit. Or any westerners for that matter. Maybe I am wrong. I frequently am.
second postscript: I wonder if it means anything that construction began on April 1st. (April Fools Day)
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